OC's Rugby heads to Bristol

A cold crisp day in Bristol with a cutting ice wind saw a motley crew head down the M4 to our teams birth place of Clifton College for the annual OC London vs OC Clifton college Christmas match.
Despite an on/off, 3 year relationship with the OC's this was my first time to Clifton College, an amazing back drop for our game. Defeat over the past 3 years had lead the former, genuine members of the OC team to rally a strong team. The result went only 1 way as a lack luster Clifton team buckled & conceded 2 tires & 3 penalties without reply.

Our Black Tie post match dinner convened at the Clifton Centre started off with a quiet , gentle pace but quickly slid down hill into a "how-much-can-you-eat-in-one-mouthful" competition. Karina looked fantastic in her evening dress as did Seth dressed in chocolate sauce!

Fortunately for the on hand staff we transferred location the the Lizard lounge down town before continuing the festive pre-Christmas celebrations. Other picture here is Huw modeling the Man of the match "Golden Socks" I'm just not sure if he knew exactly what to do with them though as I'm sure beer holding gloves are illegal retire on a rugby night out.

A quick Trip State side

Life shouldn’t all be about work, work, work but I had to try hard & squeeze some social stuff into the short 5 day trip to the East coast. I travelled out to Orlando via NYC to look at a few business ideas, but managed to combine my appointments with a two social catch ups.

I meet up with Ressie, who just happened to be on business in Miami from Denver, so se flew up to Orlando & we spent Saturday running around Universal Studios like 2 school kids, playing with Shrek, Donkey & friends!

Some of the roller coaster rides had the most bizarre signage; you con only imagine what must have happened in order to prompt such consideration!

Sunday I caught up with James Nicholson & family further up state, near the town of Bunnell, just north of Daytona Beach. It’s only taken Jamie & me 12 years to hook up. I last meet in our final year f Uni & have both promised to stay in touch more frequently. I can’t any reason why once on less than 12 years is unachievable!!

A weekend of socialising helped overcome the small jet lag I had. I felt far fresher working over the next 3 days having acclimatised before hand. Monday I drove back towards Orlando, dropping in to see 3 Dog day care centres, Tuesday I spent all day looking at one in more detail & Wednesday I flew back to New York to see 3 more sites so I could compare & contrast 7 different business models. I hope to now have a better understanding of how they work & operate.

The MPH motor show

Brum-brum! Thursday was spent soaking up the smells of burnt rubber & petrol fumes. Not everyone’s cup of tea admittedly but fun for petrol heads (or wannna bees like me)……

Hagar & I met up in Earls Court to wander around the car exhibition & then watch the Top Gear presenters take the micky out of one another in front of 5,000 car enthusiasts.

The show consisted of Cars, Bikes, trucks & funny inventions starting with the 3 presenters racing around the indoor circuit firing tennis balls at one another & ending with stunt driving, a crazy motorbike display team & car football.

England get thumped :(

All the way out to Paris just to see England get shut out :(

I can't believe we didn't even score a point !!!

None the less Pol, Hager, Mark & myself had a suitably relaxing time sipping french beer & putting the world to rights.

Met up with the OC boys near La Louvre, they too were also partaking in similar activity, during which Mark noted that his glass had shrunk somewhat !

The Rugby World Cup kicks off

Paris by night, the air of anticipation & a rallied French public that were jubilant at the prospects of a fine opening match against Argentina at Stade de France.





Lynsey my french cousin joined me for her first trip to the stadium & sat excited, soaking up the atmosphere of opening ceremony with two friends as the music & dancing kicked lite up the ground.







http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=2207394961199846393
The raz-a-mataz over & national anthems out the way it was "showtime!!!"

The match kicked off with Argentina securing also all of the ball & definitely all the luck. The v game progressed with everyone applauding their fine efforts & creative play. In comparison the french team struggled to gain possession & started to look inward upon themselves, the crowd gradually drew quieter & quieter as it become more & more apparent that the expected great french surge was not to materialise.

The final whistle blew, bring to a close an astonishing match & a most unlikely result. I had just watch Argentina create the biggest upset in world cup history; they defeated the outside tournament favorites 12-17, on their own turf!!

Good luck Sweet Chariot

Thanks to Ben's kind invite I joined Toby & their dad, David, at the newly branded O2 Arena (ex Millennium dome) in Greenwich. Together with a few hundred O2 supporters we celebrated the England rugby team's World Cup retention bid in France next month.
I arrived early to nose around the stadium until Ben rang to say I could get in without the ticket Toby was carry for me, as my name had also be put on the door!!

I meet David in reception & together we slide into the VIP area for a couple of warm up ales before being escorted to the stage side table to watch the proceedings ..........

Ben had to work for some of the evening so I had the pleasure of chatting to amongst others his co host; Kirtsy Gallagher, who of course I knew nothing about until I Googled her name (to check I'd spelt her name right) & came up with this link !!!
http://www.tccandler.com/talent_file_kirsty_gallagher.htm


Ben interviewed Brian Ashton, & a number of players including this interview with Lawrence Dalligio & Captain Phil Vicery. Click on the picture to play







In between dinner, Ben's player interviews & Jools Holland's fantastic stage show Toby, David & I attempted a few of the numerous charity auctions that were taking place. It was during the on stage Auction of the "The Rugby Nut package" that I came within a Nat's whisker of bidding £7,000 for a huge number of rugby tickets.

Toby was taking a picture of me pretending to bid with a big England inflatable hand when the auctioneer took my £7k bid as read, I was left sweating or a few seconds until I was outbid but it still took me a good few minutes to cool down & get over a potentially expensive photograph pose. The package eventually sold for +£9k!!

To celebrate my luck escape I later took the liberty of sitting in Ben's interview chair, I think I look quite the part, even if it was a just a bottle of wine that I was clutching & not the required microphone!!!

Home Sweet Home

Well it's been 9 fantastic months of travelling, I seen, experienced & done some great great things & now I've returned home to the sunny sunny English summer, err........... or not!

I'm back in wet & rainy Blithy & it isn't what I'd expected of an English summer, but then I suppose you can't have everything.

Watch "fernandez fierro"

Club Athelico Fernandez Fierro C.A.F.F

A Wednesday night in a local barrio, a hanger style building packed with the young & trendy (like me!!!) & a wicked band.

The local bit of th mix made it easy for me to stand out. As if being a good foot taller than most didn't give the Gringo away then the fair whiter completion & of course my subtly camouflaged blond hair made ID-ing the odd one a little easier. None the less it was great fun.

http://www.fernandezfierro.com/caff/

The band we'd gone to see we a superb mix of traditional Tango structure & new age dress, attitude & energy. The hall was crammed with people near the stage but behind the crowd there was just enough room for others to Tango. This was not a place for beginners to wade on in so it wasn't until well after the band had finished & there was lighter background music playing that I thought, what the heck, I've come this far & had 4 lessons, I just have to try......
..

Watch "Boca jrs match vs Central "

Boca jrs match vs Central

26 sec - 9 Aug 2007
Description: Boca jrs match vs Central

Boca Juniors vs Central 0-0

Sunday afternoon & a VIP trip out to the Boca stadium had Alex & I soaking up the intoxicating atmosphere of the Boca Juniors first game of the season.

We were picked up early & in the stadium an hour before kick off so that we could see the team parade their latest trophy, ticker tape filled the air & the sing, chatting & constant drumming deafened our ears & shook the cold concrete floor beneath our feet.

The Jugador 12' PTE, or the 12th player of the team danced & sang all game, & were in fact the best part of the day. The game by contrast was a catalogue of errors & missed opportunities.

The 0-0 score line reflected the poor performance & we were both glad of the excuse to jump up & down to the band so we could keep warm!!

Time to Tango

Why watch a Tango show when you can learn to dance....

Dave & I went a shade of white when we thought we might have to dance together, luckily 2 Brazilian ladies, of considerable size were on hand to send our toe nails black & blue. We had such a laugh, but neither of our dance partners had the slightest sense of co-ordination; the lack of English, or our Portuguese didn't help , but I've never had my feet stood on quite so often.

It look oh so easy when the professionals do it.........

so we decided to sit back & enjoy some wine, dinner &
see how it should really be done.